A warning from Honolulu police for North Shore visitors: keep an eye on your belongings.

HPD placed a mobile trailer sign near Laniakea Beach telling people to watch out for crime, and some are blaming the spike on concrete barriers that were placed on Kamehameha Hwy. to help the traffic flow.

In the last six months, people who visit Laniakea Beach to see turtles basking on the sand, have had to park farther down Kamehameha Hwy., because the state placed concrete barriers across the beach to prevent people from parking there.

But some believe it makes it easier for criminals to rip them off, since their cars are parked far away and out of sight.

Kamehameha Hwy., North Shore

In the last six months, there have been 38 car break-ins within a one-mile radius of Laniakea, eight break-ins in the last month and three just in the last week.

HPD recently put a sign up in the area, warning people not to leave their valuables in their car. Officers didn’t say it was in response to the recent car break-ins, but they did say the warning is timely, because more people are coming here in the summer.

HPD also said the sign is used for various traffic and safety messages.

Whether or not the barriers are increasing crime, the state says they are helping the traffic flow.

When KHON2 drove through the area, we didn’t see a huge backlog, but we did notice people continue to jaywalk, creating hazards on the highway.

“People just go down and do the same thing about 100 yards down the road. It’s not much of a change. It’s just location change,” said Oahu resident Michael Maertens.

The Dept. of Transportation said the barriers were a temporary solution when they were put in place, but that was six months ago.

“Maybe the solution is for some parking lots,” Maertens said.

“There should be a crosswalk so people can come right across and look at the scenery right here,” said Oahu resident Edwin Arellano.

The state doesn’t know how long the barriers will be up at Laniakea, but officials continue to meet with the Laniakea Task Force to come up with a permanent solution to the traffic and parking problems.